Maple is the most common type of wood used in countertops. Its light hues blend well with any color while adding an open feeling to the kitchen. At a moderate price, many find it a good balance between quality and cost. Though not as durable as oak, maple offers a little more variety in slabs than other types of wood.
The best types of wood for a butcher block kitchen island or countertop include hard maple, walnut, and cherry due to their durability and resistance to bacteria. Hardwoods are preferred because they can withstand knife cuts without deep grooves. It's important to select food-safe finishes to maintain hygiene.
Which is a harder wood, maple or oak? In terms of hardness ratings, maple ranks higher than oak which makes it more scratch-resistant. Maple is ideal for high traffic areas like floors and cabinetry. That being said, both are excellent choices for different purposes due to their unique characteristics.
To start, maple is exceptionally strong. Resistant to daily wear and abrasion, a maple countertop surface is likely to last you for many years. (We still recommend refraining from cutting directly on the surface of the wood. Use your knives on your cutting boards instead.)
Because of its consistency, maple also does not absorb stain as well as oak. Physical Characteristics: The light, natural finish makes hard maple a leading choice for contemporary spaces when it comes to furniture and hardwood flooring.
Oak is generally slightly more expensive than Maple, the cost of the floored depends on the width and length of the floorboards, the grade of the lumber and several other factors.
Maple is hard and dense, so the relatively large pigment particles can not penetrate the wood very well. They even highlight the sanding scratches.
Clear coat: Urethane, acrylic, or resin-curing-oil finishes provide superior protection against water, stains, and wear. They are also food-safe once fully cured. Water-based polyurethane is a popular choice for its ease of use and low odor, while oil-based polyurethane offers greater durability.
When it comes to strength and durability, maple and oak are some of the best kitchen cabinet materials you can have. After all, they're both hardwoods. That being said, maple is a slightly stronger hardwood product than oak. Maple is one of the strongest and most durable natural wood options available.
Quartz Countertops
Available in a wide range of colors and patterns, quartz typically ranks close in popularity to the perennial top choice: granite.
Sensitive to Humidity and Heat –
Like most hardwood varieties, maple is sensitive to extreme humidity and temperature changes. If summer humidity is an issue in your home, this wood isn't suitable as it can expand and contract, warp and split.
Sugar maple, 24 BTUs per cord. White oak, 24 BTUs per cord. White ash, 23.6 BTUs per cord. Yellow birch, 21.8 BTUs per cord.
In short, the aging of wood, unlike that of cheese, does not make it better. Nor does it improve its strength. It is still possible that old wood joists may in fact be significantly stronger than they were on the day they were installed, because wood does gain strength as it dries.
Here are a few other options for wood countertops: Hickory is the strongest American wood, in warm brown and reddish brown tones. Brazilian Cherry is one of the strongest woods, highly durable, resistant to scratches and dents, in a beautiful red tone.
Here at JSB, we recommend Quartz as the best all-around kitchen countertop material. Quartz is resistant to scratches, dents, chips, and stains and you never have to reseal it. The only downside is it is a little more expensive than other options.
And yes, they've been popular since long ago because they're a heavy-duty durable material and because of their timeless appeal. But they're long from outdated. In more recent years, more modern and contemporary designs have popped up all over the world with new ways to use oak cabinets.
Maple is durable.
In addition to enduring wear and tear, maple is also good at resisting changes in temperatures and will not crack or warp like many other types of wood. Since it is strong and durable, you can expect maple cabinets to last about 30 years if properly maintained.
Oak is stronger and better for heavy-use furniture. At the same time, maple offers a smoother grain and is ideal for intricate designs or lighter, modern aesthetics.
White marble countertops are a hallmark of Joanna's kitchens, effortlessly bringing luxury and timeless elegance. Paired with dark cabinets, they strike the perfect balance of modern style and cozy warmth, as seen in her Waco home.
1. Quartz. Quartz is the most durable countertop material. A perfect choice for any kitchen or bathroom, quartz countertops contain a mixture of crushed quartz and resin.
Maple, by its density and grain structure, does not like to "take" stain the way oak soaks it up. An oil-based wiping stain just isn't the right product for you to use -- given your goals.
Avoid conversion lacquer, which is the amino-alkyd resin with nitrocellulose added. Nitrocellulose will yellow significantly over time. A final option is a dewaxed colorless shellac. Ultrapale and super blonde will have just a hint of color, while bleached shellac has virtually no color.
Unlike other woods that can warp or even crack, maple can handle changes in temperature and humidity. It's also beautiful to look at. The appearance of your cabinets can define the look of your entire kitchen. You have so many choices when it comes to the finish of maple cabinets.